Whats your favorite shotgun for upland hunting?

Older 687 Beretta III in 12 gauge is great, except it is 7 1/2 pounds and I hunt Blues,Chuckars and Ruffs in very steep, nasty places that look great in photos, but feel like #### when your actually hiking them…..so My favorite now is a Benelli Legacy 20 gauge that weighs 5lbs 14 ounces. The other day I was hunting Blues and they were all jumpy., flushing wild, and would not hold for ####.I was reaching, even with the 12 gauge and only knocked down one bird….The twenty would have been much nicer hauling up the hill, but it felt like I needed a 12 and it felt like an anvil.
At the end, coming down the mountain after a good 8k. it felt like my gun was 30 pounds.Legs were like jello, and I am in good shape for 59( I hike hills with my dog everyday for 7-8k.) So I’m in as good a shape as many younger bucks; however, time does not give a ####…
So I I just ordered myself a Bertta A400 Ultralight 12 gauge ….6 pounds and packs the 12 gauge punch when I need it.Not ready to sit in the rocking chair yet.
 
Whether I'm going on a short stroll for grouse, or long brutal walks for sharpies or pheasants... or lung-busting climbs for chukar or ptarmigan - I appreciate a light gun. Scaled frame 28 SxS works best for me...
 
I've tried all sorts of things, including very pretty guns made 100 years ago in England. The last few years I've just been grabbing a dependable 870 in 16 gauge. I have lots of 12's, but it's overkill for upland. The 16 suits me fine.
 
Some of you have some very beautiful shotguns. I made a very advantageous trade years back on a stoeger 20 gauge coach gun. Imp and mod and 2 triggers on 20" barrels. I've been out twice this year and I've brought home my limit of 5 each day. I'm using older imperial high brass 5 and 6 shot this season because I picked up a few boxes but I usually use #4 to be double purpose for snowshoe hare. In the last 10 grouse, 3 ruffed, the rest foolhens, I've put about 10 pellets into meat. I know shotguns get so much nicer, but this one is super handy and works for me.
 
I have quite a few that I use for Upland shooting... early in the season I like my 1977 BSS 20 Gauge Sporter with 26" tubes, threaded for thin wall chokes. As the season progresses I switch to 12 gauge in a 1984 Browning Superlight with straight English stock and a 80's Auto-5. When there are more birds than we know what to do with I switch to an 870 Wingmaster in 28 gauge and a Citori Lightning in .410... although the dog gives me a disgusted look every time I pull out the Citori .410...
 

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This year it is my 10 month old 28 ga Beretta A400 Xplor w/28" barrel. 5-1/2 pounds of easy carry for chukars or grouse and I shoot it very well.

Other two favorites are a 16 ga AYA #2 round body SxS w/28" barrels choked a tight IC and tight Modified...great rooster gun....and my 20 ga Beretta 686 w/28" barrels, English stock.
 
New favourite, 16 gauge FAIR Jubilee over/under.
I have a few light 20 gauge guns, but something different appealed to me, just because I can.
 
For wild birds I enjoy a FAIR Jubilee 16ga, It is nice to carry and plenty of gun for mixed cover. For game farm pheasants I shoot a 686 28ga. I hunt alternately over a GSP that’s half horse and a Springer that’s half tornado.
 
Ithaca 37 20ga 1950's vintage 28" full choke for early pheasants /Cooey 840 28ga/A303 Beretta 12ga late season pheasants.
 
hoytcanon said:
I have quite a few that I use for Upland shooting... early in the season I like my 1977 BSS 20 Gauge Sporter with 26" tubes, threaded for thin wall chokes. As the season progresses I switch to 12 gauge in a 1984 Browning Superlight with straight English stock
Click to expand...

Nice shotguns (and dog!)
- Just thinking out-loud... But looking at them reminded me how flushing grouse through the bush made me appreciate hard (non-rubber) but-plate on a shotgun.
 
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